The Real Jesus

By Frank Benjamin Horn Hartvedt

For a period of my life, during my studies after the football period, I lightheartedly called myself «The Real Jesus» in various contexts. As a former pastor’s son and a former Pentecostal, I have a fairly good overview of Jesus of Nazareth’s character – as described in the Bible. There are several things he preached that I do not agree with. Nevertheless, I can see that there was much goodness in him. First and foremost, we all know that he was a man of peace. As a libertarian, I naturally applaud that. He also helped the weak, the sick, the unfortunate, the hated. As a human, I applaud that. There is no doubt that Jesus showed concern for his fellow human beings. Up to a certain point, that is.

But Jesus says no. He says it is not permissible. Is that compassion? Is that goodness?

For Jesus had a problem. He was bound by the Word. By his own words. This meant he could not show full compassion.

In the history of mankind, many have defined bodily intimacy between people, sexual excitement between people, falling in love, and love between people, as the most supreme thing a human can experience in this existence. Maximum happiness. All these things can be experienced in a monogamous relationship. And Jesus Christ knew that. And he thought it was good. Bodily and sexual intimacy between people outside of a monogamous relationship, he did not think was good. He called it sin. But he had compassion for those who sinned, it is written in the Bible. He even spent time with them. But how compassionate was he really? He could put an arm around their shoulders, but not without telling them they had to go and sin no more. For if they sinned more, he and his father would punish them. Severely.

Jesus of Nazareth stood in the way of some people in this existence in their desire to experience the supreme – maximum happiness. That is not compassionate. That is not goodness.

Some people find it difficult to achieve a monogamous relationship with another person. This may be because they have a physique that does not appeal to other people, a physique that may even repel other people. This makes them shy. But they still want to experience the supreme. This is not difficult to understand. I applaud that. Maybe they try to create a monogamous relationship – maybe again and again and again. Wholeheartedly and bravely. Without success. Finally, they ask a person – a warm, good, and kind person – if they can be intimate with this person, lie close to their body and feel its warmth, perhaps even experience sexual closeness with this person. For a fee. This person gives a wholehearted yes, of their own free will. But Jesus says no. He says it is not permissible. Is that compassion? Is that goodness?

Some people find it easy to achieve a monogamous relationship with another person. They may have a physique that appeals to other people and they may have a good ability to communicate with people. Some of these people wish to experience the supreme with many people, preferably in different types of relationships, parallel to each other. They want to live life to the fullest – both for free and for a fee. They want maximum happiness at all times. But Jesus says no. He says it is not permissible. Is that goodness?

Or is it evil? Is it evil to stand in the way of the most supreme thing a human can experience?

(This article was published on frankbenjaminhartvedt.no in October 2024)